Essentially, the job search process can be broken down into the following steps:

Decide and Define what role you want to look for

Create a list of target companies who employ this role

Use networking and other means to find contacts within these companies

With the contacts' help, learn about the company and navigate the system to get in front of a hiring manager

Obtain any extra skills or knowledge needed to fit into the company and the role

Certainly, that is a simplified list, and entire books can be written (and probably have been) about each of those points. For now, I just want to touch on the first. Besides asking for good contacts, the request I hear the most is for help deciding and defining what role to fill. The following exercises should get you started:

Start by creating a list of the things you value such as time with your family, honesty, earning money etc.Now, rank those values from most important to least important. This will help you better define your search and help to resolve potential conflicts. As an example: you might value earning lots of money. If you value honesty and integrity more, there will obviously be some restrictions on the ways in which you can earn money and the companies with which you can do so. Be absolutely honest with yourself about your values - even if others may not understand. You're doing this for yourself, not for others. Here's what I mean: I once spoke to a person who valued control - controlling situations and, quite frankly, controlling others. Of course, they didn't come out and say that, but it came out during the course of several conversations. There are, in fact, several jobs in which a person is required to exert just such control, and this person was able to start looking at some of them.

Next, look back at your career and create a list of the activities and roles that you have enjoyed the most and activities that have given you the greatest sense of fulfillment. Now take this further and list WHY you liked these activities so much.

Where the lists of values and activities meet, you have a potential role to look for. Where the two list collide, you have an area you want to avoid. Suppose you value earning lots of money and one of the things you have enjoyed doing in the past was selling newspapers. You're not likely to earn a lot of money selling papers unless you own the newspaper, so you can probably cross selling papers off your list.

You probably won't get to your "perfect job" in one session. It might take a few to really get the hang of things. If you need some help or have any questions, just email or call.